Klein, Thoralf: The "Yellow Peril", in: European History Online (EGO), published by the Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG), Mainz 2015-10-15. URL: http://www.ieg-ego.eu/kleint-2015-en URN: urn:nbn:de:0159-2015100627 2015-10-15.

Abstract:

As an antithesis to the narrative of European superiority, the fear of Japan and China has had a place in the history of Europe since the 1890s, when the term was adapted from North America. Customarily, the term ‘Yellow Peril’ has been analysed as a political and social catchword. In this essay, I argue instead that three media events played a crucial role in its emergence and gradual intensification: the Sino-Japanese War of 1894/95, the Boxer War of 1900/01 and the Russo-Japanese War of 1904/05. They left a legacy that has cast a long shadow over the twentieth century.

Description:

Closed access. This article has been accepted for publication in European History online and will be made available once published.